Here & Now

Voces De La Frontera Leader Reacts to Challenges to DACA

Zac Schultz:

Also this week in Washington, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about whether the Trump administration has the right to shut down the DACA program. DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It’s a program created through an executive order from President Obama that allows immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to receive work permits and renewal two-year deferral on deportation. Joining us now is Alejandra Gonzalez, the lead youth organization for Voces de La Frontera in Milwaukee. Thanks for your time today.

Alejandra Gonzalez:

Thank you for having me.

Zac Schultz:

Now the Supreme Court won’t issue a ruling until next year but most observers seem to think the conservative majority on the court agreed with the Trump administration. What was your reaction to oral arguments?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

It was — as a DACA recipient myself, it was concerning, of course, listening to the oral arguments, but I’m hoping that it’s not a true reflection of what their decision will be. I’m hoping that we have one swing vote in the middle that will keep the program alive.

Zac Schultz:

Donald Trump has said if the courts strike down DACA, he’ll work with Democrats to find a solution, but this would be next year during an election year. Do you believe that will actually happen?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

I do not, no. And I think if it does happen, it’s going to be a compromise that might endanger my parents and I’m not willing to accept a deal like that.

Zac Schultz:

And how would it endanger your parents?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

Well, I think the narrative has been DACA recipients, through no fault of their own, they came to this country because their parents brought them. So that kind of puts our parents as the criminals and that’s simply not true. They acted out of desperation. I also wouldn’t want to throw another group of immigrants under the bus just so that I could benefit from it.

Zac Schultz:

DACA was always supposed to be a temporary program while Congress worked out a deal on immigration, but that never happened. What has it been like to live under all this uncertainty throughout this time?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

It’s been really stressful. I actually started school. I go to Alverno College. I’m in my senior year. So I’ll be graduating this May. And it’s very frightening to think about the possibility of not being able to use my education after DACA ends. It’s a matter of like trying to fit all of my life goals within this time period so that I can achieve them. But even then it probably doesn’t even matter because I might lose what I’ve worked for.

Zac Schultz:

Well, what will you and others do if DACA program ends?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

I think — I think dreamers are a very resilient group. I believe that we will continue to advocate for ourselves and for our community. We will continue to advocate for a permanent solution. We’ve been able to last this long, right. I’ve been able to get this far. I believe in their passion and in their bravery to continue moving forward with their lives.

Zac Schultz:

Now, you’ve talked about trying to finish up some of the things in your life. Are other DACA recipients that you know, are they doing similar things or are they already making contingency plans?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

I think everybody is just trying to live their life at this point. You know, at the end of the day, we’re all just human beings trying to live the life that our parents brought us to live, right. They brought us here for a reason. And most of the DACA recipients that I know are college students and their plan is still to attend college. They’re just working twice as hard because DACA recipients don’t feel federal aid to pay for college. They’re working twice as hard to pay for their education, looking for scholarships to support their education so if DACA fails, they at least have some sort of financial support.

Zac Schultz:

One concern is that DACA required people to provide personal information to the government. Do you worry about the Trump administration using that info to pursue deportations?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

Oh, for sure. That’s my biggest fear. DACA recipients are taxpayers. There’s just some irony in that my tax money could be going towards my own deportation. DACA recipients are required to update their home address with the federal government as soon as they move, which is what I did. And it is a big fear. I mean I live in a home with my boyfriend’s children. I just don’t want to imagine what could happen if there are mass deportations and these kids have to witness that. I, I — the idea that — it’s traumatizing enough. I couldn’t imagine the actual experience.

Zac Schultz:

Do you believe that ultimately there will be a political solution to this?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

I’m hopeful. I am hopeful. I think that things are moving the right way. I think that a lot of people are supportive of dreamers and I’m really hoping that the Senate decides to bring the Dream and Promise Act to the Senate floor and vote on it the right way and be on the right side of history.

Zac Schultz:

And if that doesn’t happen in the next year, do you think going forward, perhaps in another administration or down the road, there could be a fix?

Alejandra Gonzalez:

Oh, for sure. You know, just with Voces de La Frontera’s action, we’ve been working towards making sure that Latino and youth vote really becomes present in the 2020 election. I’m the lead youth organizer for Youth Empowered in the Struggle. I work mostly with high school students. Some of them are 18 years old and they are motivated now more than ever to vote and to show up at the polling places.

Zac Schultz:

All right. Alejandra Gonzalez. Thank you for your time today.

Alejandra Gonzalez:

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.